Choices

My big kids all tucked out after our move to Georgia

The definition of a choice is: an act of instance of choosing; the right, power or opportunity to chose.

In life every day we make choices. We chose to get out of bed. We chose to eat or not to eat breakfast. We chose to stay home with our kids or go to work every day. We chose to be happy in our life circumstances. We chose.

Our Heavenly Father gave us choices and He lets us chose for ourselves which option is best for us. But what happens when a choice someone else makes effects our lives, for the bad? What happens when a wrong choice is made and the consequences directly effect you?

This happened to someone I care deeply about recently. Someone in her life made a choice that will effect her life eternally. She did not make the choice, but the choice made will dramatically change her life. All was not lost.

She did not have to wallow in self-pitty and despair. She did not have to feel this kind of pain all on her own. She was able to realize this choice was not her own, that it was not her fault. She was able to pick herself up, hug her baby, and know that there is a reason for her trial.

How was she able to do this? She has the Atonement in her life. She knows that our Savior paid the price for the sins of this world, but that was not all He did. He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane for everyone and everything. He bled from every pore and felt all of pain, agony, sadness, but He also felt our happiness, our joys, our triumphs, our excitement. He felt it all and in the midst of her pain and agony, she got comfort. She was able to hand this trial, a trial she has because of choices someone else made, over.

She does not have to face this trial alone. Even though I am one of her best friends, there is nothing I could say or do to make this hardship lighter. She needed to use the Atonement in her life. She needed to use the power of prayer in the name of Jesus Christ to confide in her Father in Heaven. He is the one who sent the Holy Ghost to bring her comfort and in her case, strength.

Because our Father in Heaven was willing to send His son to earth to be crucified for us, we have a person we can go to who understands what we think, feel and need. He is what brought peace and again happiness to this dear friend of mine.

It is hard when choices others make effect our lives in bad ways. But the Atonement is real. It works. It is there for us to use. Use it. Get on your knees and pray. You will feel its power.